The building would be turned into a medical centre, gym, drive-through restaurant and food store.

Upperton Road Area Residents' Association has broadly welcomed the scheme, which would preserve one of the city's few remaining GCR buildings, but objected to elements of the project.

It has started an online petition opposing the drive-through and arguing it could result in a loss of privacy.

It had been signed by more than 120 people yesterday and will be presented to Leicester City Council planning officers.

A spokesman for the association said: "Jamie Lewis has done a good job restoring other historic buildings and people would like to see a doctor's surgery.

"However, the scheme does not really offer anything else the area does not have in abundance.

"There are many food supermarkets and fast food places. If this was to be anything like the fast food restaurants in Narborough Road, it will create litter and mess.

"There will also be increased traffic in Upperton Road, which is already congested.

"This is a particular concern for people in Watkin Road. They will have little privacy because of the removal of greenery that was there."

Jamie Lewis, managing director of the developer, said: "Our application follows 12 months of dialogue with the council and heritage groups.

"We have striven to find a viable solution in order to be able to retain and convert these wagon repair sheds into spaces which would be commercially attractive.

"It would be far easier and more cost-effective to replace them with a modern building.

"The scheme has 126 parking spaces and the sheds have an existing planning permission for a heavy industrial use with unrestricted working hours.

"This means that tomorrow any noisy engineering company could legally work in these premises 24 hours a day.

"In respect of traffic, we are very aware that Upperton Road is a busy road at peak hours but this is no different to busy roads in other cities at certain times of day and our consultants' traffic plan offers an acceptable solution."

A deadline for members of the public commenting on the application ends today but a city council spokesman said: "We would still consider any representations for a period after that."

Comments

Aspects of this developer's huge student buildings on Western Road were illegal and it is well known that he compensated certain residents with a substantial sum to keep them sweet. I think the civic society are foolish to align themselves with such an individual.
I doubt that local residents "hate everything" as the area has the highest concentration of licensed premises and purpose-built student accommodation anywhere in the region, as well as being Leicester's premier red light district! You'll find that the residents of the West End are incredibly tolerant considering all the disruption they have to put up with.
This situation arose part out of desperation from the council to redevelop at minimum cost and part out of a desire to make the area attractive to hipsters. Opportunistic investors and actual criminals have took advantage of the diminished state of the community and you won't want to be around when the bubble bursts...

Leicesetr has pulled down most of its heritage, why leave this building? The last one ( almost) of a great railway that linked Leicester with London and Manchester. For heritage do not come to Leicester but if you like the worst excesses of nmodern architecture please hurry as New Walk Centre is doomed and will fall next year.

The threat of "heavy industrial use" is somewhat empty as it would be highly unlikely that the developer would allow such a use next door to his student accommodation. What students would want to live there then?

@ddb223: " It can therefor be argued that the houses were built next to this building without the correct consideration for the surrounding area?" there was an area of scrub/trees separating the 2 areas, that was part of the application for those houses to be built - this has very recent been removed.
If you look at the situation as a drive-thru may make less noise than the very worst industrial use imaginable that operates 24/7 - then yes I agree with you. However when it was a factory (CPH) there was never an issue with the noise, I would think a drive through, esp. if a late or 24h facility will likely produce more noise, and then there are the issues of privacy loss/further nature loss/littering/anti-social behaviour/increased traffic.
Resident's aside though, this proposed use of the building gives nothing new to the area that it does not already have in abundance, a health centre would be of much more use to the local area and would have the benefit to local residents of not carrying with it any of the issues mentioned above.

@Danny
I have looked at this application. There are three houses that come close to the drive through. These are recent houses and were built during the time the adjacent property had planning permission for "heavy industrial use with unrestricted working hours." It can therefor be argued that the houses were built next to this building without the correct consideration for the surrounding area?
A drive-thru restaurant in comparison would be significantly quieter than heavy industrial use. The residents of these houses shouldn't be complaining about this development, but they should be complaining to the company that built the houses without informing them of the potential for development next to it.

You should all have spoken to you councilors about your objections and they would have ensured your interests.Just a minute..are they not the same ones who let all the student blocks be built and toilet roll tower?
'fraid so.sorry .

For goodness sake! We cant keep everything from Victorian times. If we don't repair wagons any more (due to there being no railway) and the building is not used for anything else then lets put the building back into use.

@ddb223 - The drive through lane will be pretty much in people's back gardens - there was a natural tree/scrub boundary but that was all cut down one weekend (contrary to existing application to keep the border between residential and the building). It isn't just moaning, it will literally ruin the lives of the people living next to it. I'm a resident and I certainly don't "hate everything" but this is ridiculously intrusive if you actually looked at the plans and site.
@PLYMFOX01 - There are other uses such as a health centre which have been suggested, this isn't by any means the only option to keep the building. It would be better all around to have something that adds to the local area and operates in social hours. The area does not need another gym (has 2 within 200m) or takeaways (about 100 in the local area) or more traffic on Upperton Road.